


Lanterns

by miss_whimsy



Category: Hollyoaks
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Lights, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 21:21:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16940949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miss_whimsy/pseuds/miss_whimsy
Summary: James and Harry take a trip to see the Christmas lanterns at Chester Zoo.





	Lanterns

It feels like the middle of the night, even though it’s only seven o'clock; the darkness outside the car enveloping them as they speed along the road with the heater turned up, the music on low.

Harry is staring out of the window, catching sight of the dull green fields whenever they pass under a streetlight. It hadn't snowed yet, despite the freezing temperatures, and there is always something a little disappointing about getting to Christmas without any snow at all, no matter how rarely it actually happens.

James keeps glancing at him, no doubt wondering why Harry isn't chattering away like usual. Without looking at him, Harry slides his hand over James' thigh to reassure him that he’s happy.

Honestly, he feels too excited to speak. He's been wanting to do this for so many years now and James is the first person who has ever suggested it to him, rather than the other way around. Tony and Ste had both refused to go in the past. He should have known James would be different.

 

Harry had never thought that James would be the type of person who wanted to hold hands with his boyfriend as they walked about a zoo in the dark to look at lanterns, but once their tickets have been handed over and they’ve walked into the Garden of Delights, James catches Harry’s hand in his own, threading their gloved fingers together.

Neither of them comments on it, but Harry feels his heart speed up, and he can’t help the smile that spreads across his face.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Harry says, bumping against James’ side. “I’m just happy to be here.”

James smiles, leading them towards a giant, shining butterfly, fluttering its wings above the crowd and the giant flower lanterns. Harry knows that smile well.

“How did you know?”

“Know what?”

Harry shakes his head. “I thought this was your idea.”

“It was my idea,” James assures him. “Do you think I’d do something I didn’t want to do just to make you happy?”

“Yes,” Harry laughs. “Yes, that’s exactly what you’d do.”

“Well, not this time,” James tells him. “I wanted to do this. I wanted to do this with you.”

Harry believes him.

 

They walk on, the pathway leading them into a shining snowscape, filled with animals. Harry squeezes James’ hand as they pass by the leopards, pointing out a family of elephants at the back.

“They're my favourite.”

“Elephants? Why?”

“They're cute, strong, they purr like cats, and they're afraid of bees.”

“Ah, I see,” James says, knowingly. “They're you.”

“Pretty much. Apart from the purring.”

James grins and Harry's heart does another little flip. James was doing that more and more these days; his smiles were more often wide and bright, at least when it was Harry he was smiling at.

“You purr when I rub your…”

“Thank you.”

“Neck. Your neck.”

“I don’t.”

“Right here,” James says, tickling the side of his neck to prove his point.

“Stop,” Harry laughs, squirming away. “I don’t purr.”

James nods, still smiling, and leans in to kiss Harry, his thumb brushing over the same spot on his neck.

Harry purrs.

 

They stop halfway to eat, snuggled up together on a bench beside the fire-pit in the Nordic tipi. 

“I think I could just fall asleep here,” Harry says, leaning his head on James’ shoulder, feeling cosy and secure with James’ arm around him. He sips his glass of mulled wine and pulls a face.

“You don’t have to drink it.”

“No, I want to. It’s Christmas.”

“You don’t have to do things you don’t like just because it’s Christmas.”

“I know that,” Harry says, “and I don’t. I just want to work out what I like. I’ve never really had a perfect Christmas. I’d like us to have some traditions of our own.”

He feels James press a kiss to the top of his head and he cuddles closer, closing his eyes.

“This Christmas is going to be perfect.”

“Harry…”

He knows what James is going to say. That there is no such thing as perfect. That Harry shouldn’t get his hopes up.

“All we need for it to be perfect is each other,” James finishes instead.

Harry bites his lip, hiding his smile against James’ chest.

“That was so gross.”

“I know,” James groans, sounding suitably abashed. “I promise I won’t say it again.”

 

They walk through a tunnel of white fairy lights to Wonderland, where the Cheshire Cat emerges from the darkness a little bit at a time.

Harry leans back against James’ chest and pulls his arms securely around him. James curls around him willingly.

“Happy?”

“Very,” Harry says. “Happier than I ever remember being.”

James rests his cheek against Harry’s head and murmurs quietly, “It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.”

“Alice.”

“Clever boy.”

“It’s not hard to figure out, considering where we are.”

James chuckles softly. Harry wants to say he loves him.

“I feel like a better person,” he says instead. “I know that sounds strange, after everything. I did so many things wrong. I made so many mistakes.”

James makes a noise like he’s about to disagree and Harry lifts one of his hands to kiss it. “Let me finish.”

“Sorry.”

“I made so many mistakes. I didn’t know who I was. I didn’t know what I wanted. But then when I looked at what I had and what I wanted my future to be, it was just you. There’s only ever you. You make me happy.”

James spins Harry to face him and kisses him deeply, moaning a little as Harry wraps his arms around his neck and kisses him back. It’s one of those moments that Harry wants to remember forever.

“I love you.”

“So soppy today, Mr. Nightingale.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Harry grins. “I know.” He takes James’ hand and starts pulling him along the path once more towards the next enchanted land. “Come on, let’s go and feed the penguins.”


End file.
